The Wellness Approach
The Ministry of Health is promoting the concept of Wellness to the Fijian people in the belief that prevention is better than a cure. At every age, there are seven dimensions of wellness that we should all be aware of.
The Rainbow Approach to Healthy Living:
Understanding Health Checks: Health checks, also known as ‘screening’, are an important part of staying well, especially for adults over 30 years old. These simple tests can detect changes in our health that we might not notice, so we can prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and heart disease before they take hold. Alternatively, if a health check shows that you do have an NCD, or are at risk of developing one, you can learn how to change your diet, what medicines to take, and so on.
When you go for a health check, the nurse or doctor will tell you your “numbers”, the results from the tests. Here’s a guide to what they mean.
BMI: Body Mass Index (BMI) is your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. Body mass can indicate conditions such as obesity which may led to further health complications. The table below explains what your BMI number might mean. If you haven’t received your BMI, you can calculate it here
| BMI | Weight Status |
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Normal or Healthy Weight |
| 25.0 – 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and Above | Obese |
Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is a measure of the force that your heart uses to pump blood around your body. Blood pressure can be high, normal or low. Your blood pressure is typically displayed as two numbers. The above number (systolic) shows your blood pressure at its highest as your heart pumps blood around the body. The below number (diastolic) shows when your heart is resting before it pumps again, when pressure is at its lowest. High blood pressure can be an indicator for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. If you’re worried about you BP number, visit your GP or a health center.
Below explains what your BP reading might mean:
| Blood Pressure Levels | |
| Normal | systolic: less than 120 mmHgdiastolic: less than 80mmHg |
| At risk (prehypertension) | systolic: 120–139 mmHgdiastolic: 80–89 mmHg |
| High | systolic: 140 mmHg or higherdiastolic: 90 mmHg or higher |
RBS: A Random Blood Sugar test (also called a Random Blood Glucose test) is a blood-sugar test taken after you’ve been eating normally and not fasting. This test is a way to detect Type 2 diabetes. The Ministry of Health considers a healthy RBS number to be between 4.4 – 8. If your number is higher than the healthy range, visit your GP or Health Centre.